Office-indicator.



U U 1 QW r p A d e t n e t a BI S. H. PEEK. OFFICE INDICATOR. (Application filed Aug. 21, 1899.)

(No Model.)

W/TJVESSES Attorney THE Noam: PETER! ca. mm'ou'mon wAsl-(maron. n. c.

SYLVESTER II. PEEK, OF AVOCA, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ZIMRI BENNETT,

OF SAME PLACE,

OFFICE- INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 646,914, dated April 3, 1900.

Application filed August 21 1899.

T rtZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYLVESTER H. PEEK, a citizen of the United States,residingatAvoca, in the county of Lawrence and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Office-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to indicators adapted for offices or residences to indicate the presence or absence of the occupant and the time at which he will return if absent.

The invention consists of a neat inexpensive device of the improved construction hereinafter described, which will serve as a convenient indicator and also as a support or holder for paper, pencil, and messages.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an indicator embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

The reference-numeral 1 designates a rectangular board or block provided at its ends and sides with a continuous projecting flange 2 and adjacent to its upper end with a transverse cleat 3 to form a compartment 3 to contain the name and business of the user. Below the cleat 3 are a series of parallel vertical cleats 4., 5, 6, 7, and S. The cleats 4. are secured against the inner sides of the flange 2 at opposite sides of the device and are grooved at their inner faces 6. The cleat 5 is located at a sufticient distance from the left-hand cleat 4 to form a space 9, hearing at its outer end the designation Out, be in at. The cleats 6, 7, and 8 are so located with relation to each other and to the cleat 5 as to form parallel spaces 10, 11, and 12. The board 1 within the space 10 contains the designation A. M., below which are arranged in a vertical row the numbers from 12 to 1. The space 11 is headed P. M., and below this designation are the numbers 1 to 12 in a vertical row in consecutive order. The space 12 bears the heading Ofiice and is designed to contain the address of the office of the user.

Between the cleat Sand. the adjacent side Serial No. 727,969; (No model.)

' cleat 4. is a space 13, headed Residence,

below which the'number and street of the residence are given.

The cleats 5, 6, 7, and 8 are formed on-both sides with grooves 14, which, together with the grooves 6 in the inner sides of the cleats 4, constitute guideways for vertical slides 15 and 16, the slides 15 being of a width to fit the wide spaces 9 and 13, while the slides 16 are narrower to fit the spaces 10, 11, and 12. The slides 15 and 16, as shown in Fig. 3, are beveled at their edges to fit the guideways in which they slide, and each of said slides is provided with a knob or finger-piece 17 to far cilitate its adjustment.

At the center of each of the spaces 9 to 13 the board 1 is formed with two verticallyalined recesses 18, the bottom surfaces of Which are oppositely beveled or inclined to adapt them to receive the ends of a bow spring 19. These springs serve as frictionstops for the slides to hold the latter at anyposition to which they may be adjusted, the ends of the springs when flattened out being held against the end walls 20 of the recesses 18. On the outer side of the flange 2, at any convenient point, is secured a coil-spring 21, serving as a pencil-holder, while from the lower corners of the board 1 within the flange 2 project clips 22, each preferably consisting of two bow springs secured at their lower ends to the board, while their upper ends rest together separably to receive papers or messages. One of these spring-clips is adapted to hold blank paper for the accommodation of callers who wish to leave notes, and the other clip is designed as a holder for messages or notes.

The utility of the indicator constructed as above described will be readily understood. When the user is out of his office, the slide within the space 9 is pushed downto expose the Words Out, be in at, and the slide over 10 or 11 (as the case maybe) is pushed down to indicate the hour at which the person will return.

When the device is used at an office, the slide covering the space 13 is pushed down to indicate the residence address of the party,

while if the indicator is located at aresidence the slide covering the space 12 is pushed down to indicate the office address to the caller.

It will be apparent that the slides may be easily operated, but will be firmly held at any adjusted position by means of their springs 19.

If desired, the upper ends of the slides covering the spaces 10 and 11 may be provided with indicating-pointers 23, which when the slides are in closed position project into. re-

, cesses 24, formed on the under side of the strips or cleats into parallel spaces; and

transverse cleat 3.

The under surfaces of the several slides may be slightly hollowed out to facilitate their movement over the springs; but this feature is not essential. I

The construction of the pencil-holder and clips may be varied without departing from the invention, and all such other changes or modifications in the details of the device may be made as mayfall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim-- 1. In an indicator, the combination with a board or block divided by vertical grooved formed with vertically-alined recesses; of

bow-springs having their ends loosely supported in said recesses; and slides supported by the grooved strips over said springs.

2. In an indicator, the combination with a board or block, of parallel vertical guideways; slides supported in said guideways and beveled attheir edges; and bow-springs the ends of which rest in oppositely-beveled recesses formed in the board in such a manner as to permit the ends of said springs to slide when the springs are expanded.

3. In an indicator, the combination with a board or block, provided with an edge flange and a transverse cleat; of a series of vertical cleats below said transverse cleat, grooved at their edges beveled slides fitting the grooved cleats; bow-springs interposed between the board and slides and secured in place by seating them in oppositely-beveled recesses formed in the board, and holders or clips secured to the board.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SYLVESTER ll. PEEK.

Witnesses:

ZIMRI BENNETT, R. B. LEONARD. 

